Zidane's header costs France the World Cup

Italy has won the FIFA World Cup 2006. But that is not the big news for me.

What is intriguing me, and I am sure the rest of the world, is what in the world was Zinedine doing when he head-butted Materazzi. Surely, he knew the cameras, the line refrees (if not the pitch refree), and billions across the globe would see what he did. Why did he have to resort to such a shameful thing in his swansong match?

Was it the last hurrah he was seeking, and the frustration of seeing the game entering extra time, which could go against his side? Or, was it some provocation hurled at him which finally snapped something inside him? Whatever be the reason, the act is unpardonable. Not that he has not done this before – he’s been actively involved in similar incidents twice in crucial matches.

In 1998, the only year when France has won the world cup, Zidane fouled the Saudi Arabian captain by plodding on his foot in the first round. Of course, Zizou claimed it was accidental but the refree thought otherwise, and he was red-carded. The cameras proved the refree was correct. It later also did emerge that the Saudi captain had verbally provoked Zidane (who is of Algerian ancestry) with racist remarks into the act. Maybe the same happened yesterday too. But that does not condone his sin.

Another time, Zidane was sent off in a Champions League match in 2000. Zidane aimed a headbutt at an opposing team member after both players collided & fell over in the 29th minute. He was given marching orders immediately, and his depleted side lost the match. History does repeat itself!

Clearly, Zidane does not learn from his mistakes and continues to be ruled by his own beliefs (right or wrong), irrespective of consequences to himself or his team – resulting in a hero becoming a villain of the first order. This kind of attitude appears in all people who think they are the greatest, can do no wrong, and above the law. Incidentally, it is also the same wild streak that is seen in master-criminals, who are basically geniuses gone wrong for the presence of one mischievous gene in them.

It’s not that Zidane is the only sportsman to face slurs on the field. Cricketers are known for sledging and can be pretty nasty in terms of their racist, religious, sexual and national attacks on opposing players. Notwithstanding this, and post a few verbal attacks hurled back, the game continues more or less peacefully – despite the fact that both the batsmen and the fielders have more ammunition with them (in the form of bats, balls and wickets) in one match, than the entire soccer world cup put together.

One would have liked to see Zidane lift up the cup, or to even see him going gracefully into retirement as the captain of the team that were runners-up in soccer’s biggest arena. The soccer-crazy world would have loved to have that as the fondest memory of this cup. However, that was not to be – all for the senseless temper of one second that killed a lifetime of good work. Zizou’s headbutt and his shameful exit, for me, will be the lasting memory of this world cup.